{"id":2472,"date":"2015-10-15T00:01:38","date_gmt":"2015-10-15T04:01:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/terrencemetz.com\/?p=2472"},"modified":"2026-04-21T13:41:34","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T17:41:34","slug":"faster-meetings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/faster-meetings\/","title":{"rendered":"To Lead Faster Meetings Requires Explaining the White Space, the WHY Before the WHAT"},"content":{"rendered":"

To effectively control your meetings and finish faster meetings (ahead of schedule) requires an effort that begins long before your meeting starts.<\/h2>\n

We call the preparation<\/a> period 7:59 work, as in before 8:00 AM. After the meeting starts, you can further accelerate group performance by serving your group as an effective process police person. The role of the facilitator mandates core skills such as clear rhetoric<\/a>, detailed questions, constant observance, and rigid neutrality<\/a>. The facilitator\u2019s role also demands control of the meeting agenda so that you lead faster meetings.<\/span><\/p>\n

A Deliverable for Every Step<\/h3>\n
\"To<\/a>

Lead Faster Meetings by Explaining the WHY and HOW Behind the WHAT<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

The agenda<\/a> is the roadmap by which the team advances from the start of the meeting (ie., metaphorically \u201c8:00 AM\u201d) to the end (ie., metaphorically \u201c5:00 PM\u201d).\u00a0 Solid, simple agendas do not include verbs. Verbs are work and nobody wants more work (e.g., \u201cidentify\u201d, \u201cdefine\u201d, etc.) any more than nobody wants more meetings. Yet we meet frequently because we need deliverables. Each agenda step has its own deliverable that adds up to help you finish meetings faster.<\/span><\/p>\n

Describe the deliverable<\/a> for each step as the object (i.e., a noun) or objective of the step.\u00a0 For example, use \u201cKey Measurements\u201d instead of \u201cIdentifying Key Measurements.\u201d The verb \u201cIdentifying\u201d describes HOW we get the objectives of the step, and HOW we do it has more than one right answer.<\/span><\/p>\n

As the facilitator, explain HOW, and more importantly WHY, each step in the agenda contributes. Notice that the object of the step is WHAT DONE LOOKS LIKE.\u00a0 Meeting participants can read the agenda (best to keep it posted) and seldom need to be reminded WHAT we need, but do need to be reinforced WHY it is important and HOW we are going to get there. WHY objects are posted on the agenda captures the white space, or space between the lines, and demands further explanation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Explain the White Space<\/h3>\n

We have all been in a meeting when someone, usually an outlier, asks \u201cNow WHY are we doing this?\u201d\u00a0 Ever feel the oxygen get sucked out of the room?\u00a0 An effective facilitator anticipates that question and slows down during agenda transitions, a maneuver that is counter-intuitive to most who state \u201cLet me review this quickly<\/em>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The Tuckman<\/a> Model suggests that groups, even high-performance teams, are subject to regression when transitioning from one step in your agenda to another. Be forewarned, transitions are the best time to slow down and carefully explain the white space:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. WHY did we build the output from the prior agenda step?<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. HOW does it help us get out of this meeting faster; i.e., how does it relate to the meeting deliverable?<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. WHAT are we going to do next?<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. WHY are we doing it and HOW does it help us get out of this meeting faster; i.e., how does it support the meeting deliverable?<\/span><\/li>\n
  5. WHY are the agenda items in the sequence provided?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Carefully explain the white space by answering the questions above and you will discover that your meetings finish meetings faster than ever.<\/span><\/p>\n

    ______<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

    Lead the Change\u2014One Meeting at a Time<\/b><\/span><\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

    Are you ready to transform how decisions are made, problems are solved, and alignment is built in your organization?<\/span><\/p>\n

    True meeting leadership goes beyond setting an agenda.<\/b><\/span> It requires a facilitator who can navigate complexity, balance voices, and drive toward outcomes with clarity and consensus. Our Professional Meeting Leadership Workshop<\/b><\/span><\/a> equips you to do just that\u2014blending human-centric methods<\/b><\/span> with structured analytical tools<\/b><\/span> to foster rigor, inclusivity, and results that stick.<\/span><\/p>\n